Regional Warmest/Wettest Year

Precipitation averaged across the contiguous United States (CONUS) during 2018 was the third wettest in the 124-year record. Despite the expansive wetness across the CONUS, only 6.4 percent of the total CONUS area experienced a record wet annual period. Places have unique climate histories, including the local and regional "wettest years on record".

The first map below shows the local wettest year on record across the CONUS, considering total precipitation. The five largest footprints, which aren't necessarily the five wettest years overall, are depicted in unique colors; all other Years are combined into an "other" category. The other maps depict the same type of analysis, for: average temperature, minimum ("overnight low") temperature and maximum ("afternoon high") temperature.

(click any image to enlarge)

Total Precipitation

Rank by Area

Year

Extent

Largest

1941

10.5%

2nd

1983

7.7%

3rd

2018

6.4%

4th

2011

4.6%

5th

1915

3.8%

Average Temperature

Rank by Area

Year

Extent

Largest

2012

30.0%

2nd

1934

12.7%

3rd

2017

10.3%

4th

2015

8.4%

5th

1921

6.9%

Minimum Temperature

Rank by Area

Year

Extent

Largest

1998

22.5%

2nd

2015

13.9%

3rd

2016

10.4%

4th

2017

9.7%

5th

2012

9.1%

Maximum Temperature

Rank by Area

Year

Extent

Largest

2012

31.0%

2nd

1934

17.0%

3rd

1921

7.0%

4th

2015

6.2%

5th

2017

5.3%

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: National Climate Report for 2018, published online January 2019, retrieved on May 25, 2019 from https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201813/supplemental/page-6.